Robin Williams: Won't Host Oscars, Billy Crystal 'May' Be Interested

Robin Williams is known to have impeccable comedic timing. As a former Oscars host himself, Williams also has impeccable timing in calling this reporter mere minutes after Eddie Murphy stepped down as host of the 84th annual Academy Awards. Williams is promoting his voice work in 'Happy Feet Two' (you can read the full, wide ranging interview next week), but he also made his intentions clear on if he'd ever host the Oscars again, this upcoming year or any other. Though, his good friend Billy Crystal might be interested...

Eddie Murphy just dropped out as host of the Oscars. I'm going to put you on the spot: Why don't you do it?
No... Oh, please, that's a tough gig. I was so looking forward for him to do it. I think he would have just been amazing -- especially if they let him be characters. He could have made a movie. If he did a movie like what Billy [Crystal] did doing multiple characters, he'd be amazing.

So you've never even considered hosting again?
Never. Oh, no. I've done that gig. Years ago I co-hosted with Alan Alda and Jane Fonda and I pretty much saw my career flash before me, before I started. So, it was like, "No..." It's a tough gig. It's a weird night, man. It's pretty thankless in terms of if you do great, if they say that you're a little edgy, they say, "He's cool." If you're not, they're going to go, "He's timid." And I've had friends do it and really do great at it, but it's a really tough gig. You have to start now for a show that's, I think, in January. Right?

In February.
February, yes. So people start writing now.

And Billy Crystal is so good at it...
He's amazing.

Do you think he would he want to do it again?
I don't know. I mean, he may. Steve [Martin] and Alec [Baldwin] were great [in 2009]. I don't know. You know, it's a tough gig. It's a top heavy show, everything is loaded up in the front. And as it goes on longer and longer, people start to go, "Uh huh." But you hope for things like what Billy had. Just that moment when you really get a chance to break out and do something amazing. That's what people remember. Years ago I presented an award and I said that one of the categories was "Writer, Producer, Director: The only creature capable of blowing smoke up his own ass" -- and I got a lot of shit for that.